focusinterview.
Cafe Midale Maree Burr tells FOCUS about about her latest venture as the new owner of Café Midale. hat prompted you to buy Café Midale? I started working in this industry at Jessie’s Restaurant in 1986. During the years which followed, I business and community, because in turn they have worked in all areas of the hospitality insupport us. dustry, from washing dishes to restaurant and Describe your menu? function management. It has always been a When creating our menu we aimed to move thought in the back of my mind of owning and away from mass produced and frozen food running my own business, and when the in favour of fresh home made on opportunity for Café Midale came the premises, such as our cakes, up this year, it was at the right time. I decided to go for it scones and slices. Our caramel and have not looked back. Wherever possible slice is very popular and seems we like to support Tell us about your staff? to always be on the baking local business When looking for staff, list. This allows us the flexibiland community, we were looking for ity to cater to our customers’ because in turn they people who took pride and requirements or any special support us. ownership in what they do – requests or suggestions. otherwise, it simply would not Café Midale's menu offers a work. The team we have at Café selection of gluten free, vegetarian Midale each bring their own qualiand low carb options. ties and are enthusiastic about it. They have Plans for the future? a genuine commitment and love of providing Café Midale is somewhat of an Armidale great food, great coffee and service. institution. I remember going there when it Melissa is our Chief Barista and has been first opened. Now the mantle has been passed with Café Midale for 15 years, and she truly on to me, and I would like to continue to is the queen of making coffee; it helps she is improve on the positive work already in place also a family member of mine. Our two Chefs, for in house and catering customers, while also Adam and Levi, have great experience behind adding my own touch. them and they complement each other’s Our mission is to ensure our customers are strengths brilliantly in the kitchen, and this happy and to provide great food, great coffee shows in their food. and service with a smile. Do you source your produce locally? Thanks Maree. Wherever possible we like to support local
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24 new england focus.